Vengeance Rising

[Jimmy]

Thanks chaps.

I don't think the MFC were that impressive this game Brad, sure they held but I didn't use them wisely. I was actually thinking during deployment to either put them on the far left flank or the Maneaters to really put pressure onto the Glade Guard early game which would have made a difference. I think it was a case of charge with them or be charged so they had to attack the Treeman simply put.

@Teledor - thanks for the kind words. On the list I've done a bit of a write up on the Ogre stronghold but basically I was finding with 3 units of Core troops running around I was purely using one as a bunker and holding back and just not getting enough mileage out of it for my liking. Having two units only forces me to use them proactively and of course makes each unit a bit more capable with the extra wounds floating about.

Battle 132 is written and ready to post, just waiting on something.

[NexS]

I need to do a bit of reading up on the MFC, as I'm not exactly sure what they've got, but from what I can tell from your reports they're quite a hardy unit!

[Asurion Whitestar]

I need to do a bit of reading up on the MFC, as I'm not exactly sure what they've got, but from what I can tell from your reports they're quite a hardy unit!

They're very hardy.
From memory the ogres are normal, the MFs themselves have 3 S5 Attacks, with a total AS of 2+.

[Asurion Whitestar]

And thanks for the write up Jimmy, great scribing as usual.
I'll be showing Kyle tonight, so he can appreciate what a good game it was and what a great job you do writing it up.

[NexS]

I need to do a bit of reading up on the MFC, as I'm not exactly sure what they've got, but from what I can tell from your reports they're quite a hardy unit!

They're very hardy.
From memory the ogres are normal, the MFs themselves have 3 S5 Attacks, with a total AS of 2+.

And T5, W4?

[Jimmy]

Thanks Asurion!! Make sure it's not months on end before we get another game in especially seeing as you're only minutes away!

Brad they are dishing out 7 attacks per base plus d3 impact hits and a stomp. 2+ save and a 6+ parry save. 3 wounds a piece.

[Asurion Whitestar]

Thanks Asurion!! Make sure it's not months on end before we get another game in especially seeing as you're only minutes away!

You got me by the short and curlys now ;J.



I'm at Kyle's now having a game, 2400 Dark Elves vs Wood Elves.

I showed him you're report and he was amazed at how much detail and in character it was. :3

[Jimmy]

Nice one!

132. Ogre Kingdoms vs. Warriors of Chaos
===================================

"The Ogres continued to push deep into the arid lands with the Beastmasters determination to find his 3rd secret herb driving the campaign. The Sabretusks however excitedly rushed back to their master clearly drived into a elated state by a scent they'd discovered. It wasn't before too long that a Chaos Warband made itself known to the Ogres setting up a battle line to block their path of advance. A dark shadow crossed the battlefield and a mighty Chimera landed amongst the enemy army and just like that every
thought about the campaign vanished and was replaced instead with juicy tender Chimera steaks seasoned lightly with Cathyan sea salt..."

Overview
--------
Date played: Saturday, 17 May 2014

Ogre Kingdoms
-------------
(SM) Slaughtermaster
- Sword of Striking, Armour of Destiny, Earthing Rod, Lore of Beasts (Curse, Panns, Savage Beast, Wildform), Level 4, Ironfist
(MB) Maw Butcher
- Extra Hand Weapon, Lore of the Great Maw (Spinemarrow), Forbidden Rod
(BB) Beast Butcher
- Sword of Swift Slaying, Dispel Scroll, Lore of Beasts (Wildform, Amber Spear)
(B) Bruiser
- BSB, Charmed Shield, Sword of Anti Heroes, Other Trickster's Shard, Heavy Armour
(I) 7 Ironguts
- Full Command, Standard of Discipline
(O) 7 Ogres
- Bellower, Standard, Ironfists, Look-out Gnoblar
(M) 7 Maneaters
- Musician, Standard, Banner of Eternal Flame, Stubborn, Poison, Brace of Pistols x 6
(MC) 4 Mournfang Cavalry
- Standard, Musician, Ironfists, Heavy Armour, Gleaming Pennant
(S1) Sabretusk
(S2) Sabretusk
(S3) Sabretusk

Warriors of Chaos
-----------------
(DPoN) Daemon Prince of Nurgle
- Level 4, Scaly Skin, Dawn Stone, Lore of Nurgle (Curse of the Leper, Miasma, Fleshy Abundance, Plague Wind)
(EC) Exalted Champion
- BSB, Daemonic Mount, Mark of Khorne
(WoN) 21 Warriors of Nurgle
- Halberd, Shield, Full Command, Banner of Discipline
(OoK) 6 Ogre of Khorne
- Full Command, Great Weapons
(C) Chimera
- Scaly Skin, Regeneration, Flaming Breath
(S) 3 Skullcrushers
- Musician, Ensorcelled Weapons
(CoN1) Chariot of Nurgle
(CoN2) Chariot of Nurgle
(CH1) 5 Chaos Hounds - Vanguard
(CH2) 5 Chaos Hounds - Vanguard

Deployment
----------


We rolled up the scenario watch tower with my brother claiming the tower. We however just deemed that whoever took the tower at the end of the game got an extra 500 VP to save any units holing up in it for the entire game. My usual match ups were in play and I wanted to get the maneaters shooting at the Chimera however I knew my brother would be trying to sneak him around to cause havoc. Also I was going to try and get an Amber Spear off for a flank shot onto the Skullcrushers. This time I'd be sure to send my Ogres after the Chaos Ogres and use my superior (hah!) initiative value to overwhelm them.

Turn 1 - Warriors of Chaos
--------------------------


With shields locked in place the Warriors of Chaos army started a relentless march towards the Ogre lines with the Nurgle Warriors clearly going to garrison the nearby tower.

Magical winds blew only lightly (4 vs 3) however it was enough for the Daemon Prince to curse the Mournfang (-2T) and they certainly weren't looking as intimidating as moments ago.

Turn 1 - Ogre Kingdoms
----------------------


With a promise of a belly full of food the Ogres advanced to meet the foe. The Ogres marched up the flank to gain a better position against the Skullcrushers however the Chimera flex far out of range of the Maneaters primed pistols. The spell casters begun chanting and drew power from the earth (8 vs 6) and immediately the Beast Butcher went to work conjuring up a spear and lobbing it at the Skullcrushers. Khorne however would not entertain the thought and the power of the spear dissipated over the distance it traveled. The Ironguts however grew in stature and power and no less than 2 casts of Wildform augmented them. The Maneaters dismissed the Chimera and instead focused on the incoming chariot snapping off rounds in it's general direction striking the Chariot and ensuring it wouldn't make it to them at full strength (3 wounds).


Turn 2 - Warriors of Chaos
--------------------------


The Chariot of Nurgle crew screamed in rage and charged into the Maneaters, they let off more shots however the smoke had yet to clear from their last volley and it obstructed their view doing no damage to the war machine. The Daemon Prince drew in magical energy and turned his attention to the Maneaters sapping their toughness however the Ogres were able to produce a counter spell to extinguish the magical effects. The Daemon Prince finally created a green sickly looking cloud but before he could take full control the winds blew it back into his nearby Chaos Hounds killing one of the beasts.

In combat the initial impact of the chariot and the fierce crew killed two Maneaters however the retaliation was just as brutal splintering the chariot beyond recognition.


Turn 2 - Ogre Kingdoms
----------------------


The Ironguts charged into the nearby Chaos Hounds blocking their path as the rest of the army moved into position. The magic winds hardly make a sound however the Maw Butcher chants and his forbidden rod crackles with power infusing the Ogres with power (6 vs 1). He gets to work with Spinemarrow to consolidate their position and wildform augments the Maneaters. Pann's Pelt is then attempted by the Beastmaster however this fails miserably and the Beast Butcher attempts to cast Wildform onto the Ironguts however the forces of Chaos easily dispel this. The Maneaters continue to snap fire at the enemy this time targeting the Chaos Ogres, their shots however go far wide only causing a flesh wound (1 W).

The Ironguts easily chop up the Chaos Hounds and then reform to face the Skullcrushers.

Turn 3 - Warriors of Chaos
--------------------------


With that the Khorne warriors let out a frenzied call to their god and close with the Ironguts backed up with a Chariot of Nurgle. The rest of the army begins to move about and the Daemon Prince swoops into a better position to influence the combat with his magical abilities however the winds betray him (3 vs 2) and the Ogres put a stop to his Curse of the Leper attempt. The Ironguts however take severe casualties with 3 Ogres dropping to the ground overcome with crippling injuries, the combined forces return some punishment managing to dispatch a single Skullcrusher however the tide of combat holds with neither force willing to give ground.

Turn 3 - Ogre Kingdoms
----------------------


The Maw Butcher orders his Ogres into the Chariot as they crash into the flank of the war machine through the buzzing flies. The Beastmaster harnesses the magical winds (6 vs 4) and takes total concentration attempting to force through a Savage Beast casting however between the ongoing combat and magical disruption from the Daemon Prince he's left with nothing to show for his efforts. The Maneaters spot an opportunity and with military precision they reform to face the Chimera and let off a fierce volley into the
creature with well aimed shots. The creature rises up in protest however after several seconds it was clear its vitals have been hit and the very life blood that carries this beast spills into the earth cutting the Chimera's thread.

The Ogres new assault takes the Chariot by surprise however they defend the assault and both combatants take some damage. The Ironguts lose another 3 members with just the champion remaining however a second Skullcrusher succumbs to wounds caused leaving a sole survivor losing his momentum. Khorne eyes the combat closely however and the red warrior holds.

Turn 4 - Warriors of Chaos
--------------------------


The Daemon Prince hovers behind the Mournfang gaining a better position and infusing himself with magical power (12 vs 6). He calls to Papa Nurgle to grace the remaining Khorne warrior with Miasma however the Beastmaster puts a stop to this immediately. He calls upon Curse of the Leper however the Beast Butcher reads his scroll aloud and the energy dissipates harmlessly from the Irongut. In a roar of anger the Daemon Prince sends a plague wind sailing towards the Ironguts catching them in the choking filth however the winds pick up and blow the putrid vortex into the Warriors of Nurgle and 4 of their number collapse to the earth.

The combat finally turns and enough damage is inflicted by the Ogre to turn the tide. The Skullcrusher and Chariot lose their nerve and the Ogres cut both units down as the Irongut and characters overcome with fatigue consolidate their position to contend with the nearby Daemon Prince.

Turn 4 - Ogre Kingdoms
----------------------


The Maneaters charge into the Daemon Prince and wanting to lead by example the Beastmaster signals the charge. The Mournfang Cavalry hunch into their saddles and crash into the Chaos Hounds as the Sabretusk attacks their flank whilst the Ogres assault their Chaotic kin. With renewed vigour the Beastmaster draws his reserves of power (12 vs 6)

and casts Wildform onto the Ogres, the Daemon Prince however silences this attempt and the Beast Butcher backs it up again. Nurgle however smiles upon the battlefield and the second attempt to bolster the Ogres is simply smited away. The Beastmaster sensing a lull in the enemy magical defenses however pours all of his strength into a powerful casting of Savage Beasts blanketing the Ogre leaders in increased muscle mass and feral speed.

On impact the Ogres drop a single Chaos Ogre before the enemy BSB calls forth a challenge. The Ogre crusher steps forward relentlessly blocking the BSB's attacks however a single cut gains purchase in his tough skin. The Ogres cut down the Chaotic followers with reckless abandon and another Ogre from each force drops dead. The Sabretusk and Mournfang make short work of the Chaos Hounds before turning their attention to the nearby Ogres in need of help and reform to face.

The Daemon Prince wastes no time dealing with his assailants tearing a single Maneater in half and regaining some power in the process (1 wound from Soul Feeder) however the sheer feral like ferocity witnessed from the Ogres in a blink simply sends the Daemon Prince back to the realms of chaos and the Ogres reform.

Turn 5 - Warriors of Chaos
--------------------------


The Warriors of Nurgle chase down the nearby Sabretusk intent on avenging their master. The Ogre crusher is cut down in the combat and the forces keep battling away leaving both sides looking worse for wear.

Turn 5 - Ogre Kingdoms
----------------------


Ground shakes and the Mournfang crash into the flank of the Chaos Ogres ensuring victory. The Beastmaster returns to his normal state and with little disruption to work with (8 vs 5) he sets about casting Wildform onto the Ogres. Savage Beast is then attempted onto the Maw Butcher however Khorne plucks this spell from the air. Finally the Beastmaster infuses the Maw Butcher with Pann's Pelt. The Khornate BSB witnesses the magical augments and calls a challenge to the Butcher who without hesitation accepts.

His magical augments however simply are no match for the decades of martial skill and strength the mortal warrior shows cutting down the Butcher in front of his Ogres. This only solidifies the Ogres position and they cut down the remaining Ogres and in turn break the will of the BSB. A roar goes up from the Ogres as the enemy standard drops into the ground never to be raised again.

Turn 6 - Warriors of Chaos
--------------------------


With only revenge on their mind the sons of Nurgle charge into the enemy units however they don't stick around and withdraw to safer positions intent on drawing the Warriors of Chaos into a trap.

Turn 6 - Ogre Kingdoms
----------------------


With one final bellow the Beastmaster signals the charge and the Mournfang are more than happy to join the cause. Through no focus and the swirling melee the Beastmaster is unable to concentrate enough to get any reliable spells off. The Bruiser steps forward meeting the Chaos champions challenges in a foreign tongue however he's no match for the brute force from the Mountains of Maw. Between the goring of the Mournfang and the sheer bulk of the attack the warriors of Nurgle turn and withdraw from the Ogres.

Result - Ogre Kingdoms Victory

"As the Beastmaster turned to address his army already the Maneaters were digging a fire pit with remnants of the enemy chariots being used for firewood. The Ogres begun dragging the corpse of the Chimera towards the pit and all array of bladed tools begun skinning the beast. With a defiant roar of victory the Beastmaster raised his weapons in salute of un-denied gods and was echoed by the rest of his war band. The campaign into deeper territories would continue right after the Ogres had sufficient protein to re-build their strength after today's efforts."

Conclusion: This was the 7th game running the Beastmaster list and the second time with the initial changes to the list. I almost think that the list now needs to act on a strike first/hard principle with the loss of the ward saves on the characters as opposed to taking my time a little with things. From the top I think my opponents deployment was far better than mine (not saying mine was bad). He had all the right tools in all of the right places and his opening turn I could certainly see the aggression was coming for the Ogres. Where did it go wrong however? I think had my opponent charged both chariots or the Skullcrushers straight into the Maneaters it would have given him so many better later game options purely because I then have nothing reliable to tackle the Chimera with. Even if I fled it gives him a free turn to move the Chimera without threat of being shot at period. It was my error as well pushing the Ironguts so far forward but I was hoping he'd take the bait and charge into the obstacle.

Even though I scored a victory I believe this list has a pretty good toolbox against mine, I don't think my opponent did himself any favours by sitting in the tower until it was too late. Had that unit started behind the Skullcrushers then it would have applied so much more pressure on me and provided so much more tactical options for the Warriors of Chaos in this instance.

Anyway I thank you for reading.

[NexS]

Thanks Asurion!! Make sure it's not months on end before we get another game in especially seeing as you're only minutes away!

Brad they are dishing out 7 attacks per base plus d3 impact hits and a stomp. 2+ save and a 6+ parry save. 3 wounds a piece.

Oh, tasty!

I like the BR, friend. I've been here long enough for people to know how much I like seeing WoC get slaughtered!
Skullcrushers weren't nearly as amazing as they usually are?

[Swordmaster of Hoeth]

Hi Jimmy,

As always late to the party

I will try to comment on that very interesting game against Kris and his WE. Let me just say it is great to read the game between two forum members in general and in particular when I had a privilege to meet them both personally!

I wonder if Kris had other options for his army list. I am not saying it is bad or something, I know, however, that sometimes with the new book one can be short on models he would like to field and goes for what he has. In any case it would be great if Kris wrote a few words about his army list choices.

In fact I was very happy to see so many different options on the table so that it was possible to assess their performance. Many new WE armies focus almost entirely on the shooting phase so it was good to see something different and more varied.

Deployment

I think you deployed hugging the flank so that Kris had no option to deploy his scouts of various types around your army. While you covered the right flank the left one was still open. Did you consider the fact Kris might have deployed his units there? He actually did so with Scouts only but I think he would have benefited more from both units of scouts on that flank as well.

I understand waywatchers were there to shoot at mournfangs but I also think it was quite risky to deploy them so close to your forces.

The Game

T1 - Did you consider charging waywatchers in the building with Maneaters? You had 12" (or lass) distance and that was 6+ to make a successful charge. They have enough attacks to shift the elves from the tower and apart from the fact it clears the building for you it can also allow you to immediately garrison it with your own tough regiment. Or do you think it was too risky as they might have been charged by the Rangers next turn?

I would have also moved leftmost sabertusk so that Maneaters would provide some cover for it. I was surprised Kris didn't target it with his Scouts as they can immediately cause a panic check but are not there for diverting later. I also think the other two cats were too slow in their advance but let me explain that later why.

That lone waywatcher stayed in the tower too long. He gave you the opportunity to charge the tower.

T2 - Very good move on taking fight to the enemy but this is where your cats on the right flank would have been extremely helpful in blocking the rangers from joining the fight.

This is also where I think Kris made a mistake with his eagle. His Rangers and Treeman had a chance to grind down the mournfangs but they needed to be left alone. His eagle could easily be positioned to divert your Ogres on the right flank.

T3 - you perfectly used the opportunity to slam the exposed flank of the rangers. Great use of forbidden rod, 6-1 is a massive difference! Did O1 had enough distance to hit Teeeman flank?

Boy but that Mournfang was tough

T4 - T6 - unfortunately I cannot add more as it seemed that after the loss of the general and dryads out of position to help treeman, it was a matter of time until you get the rest of the army. Maybe it was better for Kris to withdraw his Glade Guards with associated characters? Their shooting is deadly but adding some extra inches to the charge distance always helps.

The poisonous arrows are truly impressive, also thanks to their AP. It was great performance by the Slaughtermaster and it shows that it pays off to be persistent in approaching the enemy. WE inflicted huge damage on your ogres but you prevailed and it is indeed a pity the Butcher could not make it with his Sword of Anti-Heroes.

Well done to both of you for a very action packed game! I am looking forward to the re-match!

Cheers!

[Swordmaster of Hoeth]

Hi Jimmy,

Let's try to catch up with the last battle report!

There is one question I wanted to ask which is relevant to your reports but not necessary to this one in particular. How do you distribute the terrain? Do you roll for number of terrain features as per rulebook?

Deployment

I was wondering why did your brother refused to deploy his warriors in the tower? Nurgle Warriors are ideal for that duty. They also provide some pressure on the enemy in that central location as they still can emerge and aid other troops.

The Game

T1 - Double Wildform made the IG what? T6 and effective S8? Impressive!

T2 - It was good suicidal charge by your brother with his wounded chariot but I wonder if he could have added another chariot? Was it too risky? Or did he have another plan?

I think you made some risky moves, Jimmy. First, while your sabre tusk stopped enemy Ogres it didn't prevent BSB from charging out of the unit. I think he should have been used in a solo charge to aid the skullcrushers against IG's. You could have done so by presenting a flank to the enemy and positioning sabertusk closer to the BSB. It may have not diverted the unit in the same way but I think it was worth trying.

You also exposed Maneaters flank to the charge of Daemon Prince and withdrew Mournfangs. I wonder, btw, if you can find points for champion upgrade as that can sometimes make Mournfangs good at stopping Daemon Princes. You hold, you challenge, you hold on steadfast. I do understand, however, that it was difficult situation and you didn't want to risk double charge from the prince and chimera.

T3 - You brother had at least 2 options for charging in his turn which he didn't use. Either DP into the flank of the Maneaters.Or DP and Chimera into the rear of Mournfangs. What was the reason he didn't use it?

I understand your borther wanted to keep the tower but I think if he emerged with WoC facing the flank of Maneaters and presenting a front to Mournfangs, he would have created some interesting options to exploit.

Also, why didn't he charge the sabertusk with his dogs?

That was great shooting and I am afraid also an evidence Chimera was not in combat for too long! However, I wonder why did you choose shooting when you also had 2 other options.

1. Charge skullcrusher - that probably would have been enough to kill them all and reform 3 units to face new dangers.
2. Charge the ogres in the flank. Yes, there is a BSB there but you have more attacks, hit before the ogre and would make them lose steadfast for sure.

I am not saying any of these is better, just want to ask about your decision.

T4 - again Daemon Prince is hesitant to join the fight, why? I think he made a mistake with positioning his Prince like that anyway and he could have landed in a better spot and sent his spell only through your units too. I have an impression that your brother uses him mainly as a sorcerer and forgets he is a fantastic fighter!:)

It was a turn where you gained enough of an advantage for your brother to turn the tide. The only think he could have done is to get back to the tower and try to conserve points + get the bonus.

Also, a question about the combat with DP. Did your brother consider calling a challenge?

From that turn you exploited the hard won advantage and crushed the rest of the army. Well done!

[Nicene]

How was the Exalted Hero able to defeat the T7 Butcher so easily?

[Malossar]

Tomb King tangent?


Was going to run my tomb kings in another tournament until... They banned Arkhan! Those scoundrels! So I came up with this super heavy magic of doom list.

High Liche Priest Heiro, Lvl 4 - 210
High Liche Priest Death, Lvl 4 - 210
High Liche Priest Light w. Power Stone - 195

Liche Priest - 70 (Light)
Liche Priest - 70 (Light)
Liche Priest, Scroll - 95 (Light)

10x Archers
10x Archers
10x Archers
10x Archers
10x Archers
30x Skeleton Warriors w. Full Command
5x Horse Archers
5x Horse Archers
5x Horse Archers

30x Tomb Guard (sword and board) w. Full Command - 360

Casket of Souls
Casket of Souls
Screaming Skull Catapult
Screaming Skull Catapult
Heirotitan


2485. Zomg so many points invested in magic but i'm trying to create a mini point denial with the characters and a phase that will give everyone a headache. I mean what do you stop? I can 2-dice virtually every spell from the lore of death or light with titan support. Throw 2 dice at casket attempts and let the magic fly! Archers and Horse Arches work as mobile roadblocks with the tomb guard acting as a lynchpin in later turns especially if i can roll a timewarp on them.

[Jimmy]

Thanks for the replies gents.

@Nexs – The skullcrushers really wrecked face, I just think because they died first they’re undervalued. So they did 9 wounds in that first round and the next round they repeated their performance. I think that’s a worthy effort.

@SM – Better late than never? I’m sure Kris has lots of options to work with and his army will look fantastic when complete as it’s taking many different models from other armies so looking forward to seeing it complete.

Deployment – Correct. I was toying with putting Maneaters or MFC on the left flank which would have forced a reaction from Kris. I agree on the Waywatchers, there were places they could have been deployed where I couldn’t threaten them yet they could still chip wounds off whatever they wanted.

Turn 1 – I think my deployment/map is a little off here as I knew in my head I wasn’t going to risk a charge and I think it was 13-14”, a round of shooting first was guaranteed and that way I wasn’t failing a charge at least. I was very surprised (but I am every game) when people don’t take out the Sabretusks first and foremost, it’s a mistake to leave them alive.

Turn 2 – Dead right about the Sabretusks, should have played them a lot more aggressively. Ogres were 6-7” away from Treeman but I really did not wish to lose the position I had.

132.

Terrain – Normally it’s a D6 + 4 but it tends to always turn into a 10. We generally place terrain and then randomly scatter it or my kids simply place it down.

Deployment – Because it was a core unit of 21 models – not 20. :-/

Turn 1 – Perhaps an error, should have stuck 1 on them and 1 on the Maneaters.

Turn 2 – I believe he could have added the second chariot. No idea if he had another plan. I tend to have a habit of positioning MFC in terrible positions or not having clear intent with them, something I need to address.

Turn 3 – Can’t answer for my brother. Sabretusk was behind a wall out of LOS hence no charge.

I wanted to drop the Chimera as the safest place for it to be is in combat and it was probably the only opportunity I’d have outside of combat to either inflict wounds upon it or kill it outright. Solid options however.

Turn 4 – My brother didn’t challenge, no idea why. I wasn’t about to either.

@Nicene – You clearly haven’t seen my below average dice rolls! 6’s make a mockery of toughness and with no armour to boot it was a sad day. He took a wound from the forbidden rod, then the BSB put 2 wounds onto him and the Daemonic Mount 1. Ouch.

@Mal – Sure pollute my army blog with Tomb King stuff. Like Tomb Kings need restrictions however I will say what’s the contingency plan when a miscast (and/or Hellheart) tears through the list? Going to be mega bad. However I note a lot of lists are going down this direction with the Death/Light council builds and for good reason, when it works it can tip the scales heavily just watch out for Banner of the World Dragon and Rune Maw to a degree. When is the tournament?

[Malossar]

@Mal – Sure pollute my army blog with Tomb King stuff. Like Tomb Kings need restrictions however I will say what’s the contingency plan when a miscast (and/or Hellheart) tears through the list? Going to be mega bad. However I note a lot of lists are going down this direction with the Death/Light council builds and for good reason, when it works it can tip the scales heavily just watch out for Banner of the World Dragon and Rune Maw to a degree. When is the tournament?

Well there's a one day event on June 14th which is i think two days before lists are due for QCR (biggest tournament on the west coast) the second to last weekend in july.


The question becomes... is this better than my high elves?

[Jimmy]

In order to answer that you have to define what better is. I certainly believe that High Elves are far better balanced than Tomb Kings however certainly not nearly as challenging for that reason as well.

[Jimmy]

Once again I hosted our very own Asurion Whitestar in another match-up vs the new Wood Elves late last week.

133. Ogre Kingdoms vs. Wood Elves
============================

"The hunt for spices and exotic ingredients continued into the year as the Ogres trampled through the ravaged wastelands intent on using every resource available to either fill their bellies or serve as a cooking instrument. The Sabretusks picked up familiar scents and it wasn't before too long that the green cloaked fellows of Loren had returned to exact their revenge onto the army. The Beastmaster still sported wounds from their last encounter and rubbed his hands together as the thoughts returned of the Loren Curry he'd consumed that very same night using screaming ingredients collected from the battle. The Wood Elves however had brought massive Treemen to ensure the Ogres were matched in the strength department and even an ancient being was leading the force. All the Ogres could think however was what triple smoked elf would taste like..."

Overview
--------
Scenario: Watchtower
Date played: Friday, 30 May 2014

Ogre Kingdoms
-------------
(SM) Slaughtermaster
- Sword of Striking, Armour of Destiny, Earthing Rod, Lore of Beasts (Wildform, Amber Spear, Savage Beast, Curse), Level 4, Ironfist
(MB) Maw Butcher
- Extra Hand Weapon, Lore of the Great Maw (Spinemarrow), Forbidden Rod
(BB) Beast Butcher
- Level 2, Sword of Swift Slaying, Dispel Scroll, Lore of Beasts (Wildform, Flock of Doom)
(B) Bruiser
- BSB, Charmed Shield, Sword of Anti Heroes, Other Trickster's Shard, Heavy Armour
(I) 7 Ironguts
- Full Command, Standard of Discipline
(O) 7 Ogres
- Full Command, Ironfists, Look-out Gnoblar
(M) 7 Maneaters
- Full Command, Banner of Eternal Flame, Stubborn, Poison, Brace of Pistols x 6
(MC) 4 Mournfang Cavalry
- Standard, Musician, Ironfists, Heavy Armour, Dragonhide Banner
(S1) Sabretusk
(S2) Sabretusk
(S3) Sabretusk

Wood Elves
----------
(TA) Treeman Ancient - Lore of Life (Throne of Vines, Awakening of the Woods, Earthblood, Regrowth)
(S) Spellsinger
- Level 2, Lore of Beasts (Wildform, Amber Spear)
(N) Noble
- BSB
(W1) Waystalker
- Moonstone
(GG1) 12 Glade Guard
- Champion, Musician, Poison
(GG2) 12 Glade Guard
- Champion, Musician, Poison
(GG3) 12 Glade Guard
- Champion, Musician, Poison
(DS) 22 Deepwood Scouts
- Poison
(W2) 5 Waywatchers
(T1) Treeman
(T2) Treeman

Deployment
----------


Wood Elves win the tower however elect not to put any units inside. The plan here was simple for me, after dropping 2 Sabretusks and seeing my opponent deploy units into the flank forest it was clear that the scouts with the moonstone would be sitting in the other. I was going to make a sweeping advance down one flank whilst putting some hurt onto the enemy through ranged attacks courtesy of Lore of Beasts and of course the Maneaters. I deployed the Sabretusks in such a fashion to limit where the Waywatchers could cause trouble and I was confident with such a stacked flank they wouldn't be thrown away shooting at the Maneaters.



Turn 1 - Ogre Kingdoms
----------------------


It was obvious that the Wood Elves were content with sitting in their forests using concealment and cover to stall the Ogres advance. The Waystalker shot his finest arrow towards the Beastmaster however it simply bounced harmlessly from the general's tough leathery skin. Pointed weapons from him signalled the Ogres advance and the Mournfang marched down the flank to encircle the Wood Elves firebase. The tower nearby housed some magical properties and the ogre spellcasters got to work immediately on making their
presence known (5 vs 5). The Beast Butcher pointed at the Waywatchers and crows decended from the skies however before they made contact the Treeman Ancient put a stop to the magic threat. The Beastmaster then attempted to infuse the Mournfang with Wildform however the Wood Elves proved their magical supremacy and shut it down before it could take hold. The nearby Maneaters took careful aim at the Glade Guard in cover and after the distinctive snaps of their ogre pistols two elves had succumbed to poisonous wounds.

Turn 1 - Wood Elves
-------------------


The Treeman Ancient slowly assessed the threat of the oncoming Ogres and issued his orders. The Deepwood Scouts vanished across the battlefield into another forest ready to cause some chaos in the Ogre army. The ancient called upon the magical power in the tower (9 vs 6) unlocking more power and attempted to cast Throne of Vines however the Beastmaster snuffed his attempt. The Spellsinger however materialised a massive amber spear and hurled it towards the Ogres only managing to pierce one of the Bulls shoulders for a flesh wound. Before the Spellsinger could curse the gods the very fabric of reality tore open wounding the Spell singer and claiming 7 Deepwood scouts. Unable to cope with the suddeness of the attack the unit quickly withdraw leaving the safety of the forest. The Glade Guard both opened up with accurate volleys into the Mournfang finding a few chinks in their armour and dropped one of the massive beasts.



Turn 2 - Ogre Kingdoms
----------------------


The Sabretusk unable to contain his primal instincts charged headlong into the fleeing deepwood scouts who promptly turned and fled away from the beast (I've got to add some commentary here - it was only this morning as I was writing up this report I realised the error of my ways/game. Firstly the obvious question - why didn't I charge with the Ogres and wipe the unit out? Well my opponent was using a standard movement tray so by the eye It was a very long charge however had they been in the correct skirmishing
formation I would have easily caught them. A big missed opportunity on my part and will certainly be an eye opener for my opponent when he reads this I'm sure).

The Ironguts sprinted for the Glade Guard's position taking two arrows in retaliation before closing with the enemy. The Beastmaster harnesses the magical power from the tower (6 vs 3) and a Curse is called upon the Treeman closest to the Ironguts as the Ancient fails to stop the spell from taking effect. With his final magical effort the Beastmaster infuses himself with the power of the savage beast growing in stature and sprouting thick hair across his muscular stature.

The Maneaters target the closest treeman and between poison and fire the monster is clearly damaged (2 wounds) with smoke starting to form on the barky surface. The Mournfang standard bearer spews forth an icy blast covering the glade guard and 4 of the elves drop in violent chilly convulsions. The Ironguts smash aside any form of resistance from the Glade Guard and turn to face the first batch of firewood.



Turn 2 - Wood Elves
-------------------


The Treeman lumbers into the Ironguts keen on spilling Ogre blood. The Rangers finally regain their composure and re-appear in the starting woods reaching something of safety. Magic is a quick affair (4 vs 4) and the Treeman Ancient attempts to regrow the Deepwood Rangers however the Ogres dispel scroll is read aloud and the spells effects fail to materialise. The waywatchers take careful aim at the sabretusk and before it can turn and run into cover the beast is filled full of arrows. The Glade Guard unload a volley of poisonous arrows into the Ogres and a single Ogre collapses into the ground before dissolving into liquid. The Treeman locks his form into the earth bracing himself for the blows about to come. The Beastmaster, Bruiser and Ironguts collectively tear at the Monster ripping branches apart before sap spills from the Treeman's form. Uprooting the ground he collapses and his form shatters apart.

Turn 3 - Ogre Kingdoms
----------------------


The Mournfang having enough of their sport charge and trample down the Glade Guard mashing their forms into a bloody pulp trailing for some time. The Ironguts use their momentum to charge the Treeman however they are unable to close ranks with the Monster. The Ogre casters harness all the magic they can muster (11 vs 7) and the Beast Butcher tries his hand at taking out the Waywatchers again. Flock of Doom pecks away at the elite scouts collasping three and their wills broken the remaining two members turn and run for their lives. The Beastmaster himself tries an Amber Spear and launches it wildly at the Treeman, the spears flight is true however the Ancient pours all of his will into dissapating the energies behind the missile weapon . Savage Beast fails to take hold of the Beastmaster once again however Wildform takes hold of the Maneaters making them a bit harder to take down with small arms fire.

The Maneaters once again target the Treeman and noxious fumes kick up and ignite leaving the monster looking very unhealthy (4 wounds).

Turn 3 - Wood Elves
-------------------


Witnessing the desperate situation unfolding the Treeman Ancient channels all of his magic (6 vs 6) into regrowing the Treeman. The spell goes off and the surrounding elements of both armies see the reality torn open again however the chaotic power vanished and is absorbed into the magical throne upon the Ancient's brow. The nearby Treeman's wounds seal shut and green foliage sprouts from his black charred branches undoing all of the Maneater's previous attacks. Arrows continue to let loose targeting the Mournfang dropping another beast and the Ogres bear the brunt of the Glade Guards attacks taking minimal damage.

Turn 4 - Ogre Kingdoms
----------------------


The Ogres move into position to pressure the Wood Elves. Magical energies sweep the battle field and the Ogre spell casters flood themselves with energy. The Beast Butcher unleashes another flock of doom at the Rangers dropping two of the units elves. Wildform turns the Mournfang Cavalry into more formidable threats and finally the Beastmaster launches another Amber spear towards the treeman. The spear remains true to it's target slamming into the chest of the monster however it's protective wards kick in and the spear fails to cause any harm (damn you ward saves!!) The Maneaters clearly unperturbed by the regenerating magic pour more shot into the Treeman causing more damage (2 wounds).

Turn 4 - Wood Elves
-------------------


The Ancient signals the advance the in unison the Tree Spirits collide with the Ironguts. The Waywatchers continue to retreat as the Deepwood Rangers once again call upon the power of the Moonstone to take them to safety. With a call to the wild the Treeman Ancient infuses himself with power (12 vs 6) however throne of vines is dispelled as the Beastmaster contains the spell. Earth Blood takes hold of the Ancient whilst the Spellsinger calls upon Wildform to protect his master. Re-growth creates a cataclysmic rip in time wounding both the treemen however it plugs up the major wounds in the Treeman. The Mournfang fall victim to more assaults from arrows however between their thick hides and armour they're saved from the majority of the damage (2 wounds). The Treemen grab two of the Ironguts and crush the life out of them splattering the region with gore however it's not enough to change the course of the battle and the Ironguts hold their ground.

Turn 5 - Ogre Kingdoms
----------------------


The Mournfang waste no time with their superior positions and charge into the continuing combat. The Maneaters attempt to close the gap against the Treeman Ancient however they're able to gain the ground required and their charge ends. The Beastmaster harnesses the power of Savage Beast wishing to have it blanket his Ogres however the power escapes him and his magic offense is for nil. The Treeman attempts to whack the Mournfang however they take a leaf ( ) from the Elves book and displaying agility like a Wardancer they dodge the lumbering Treemans attacks. Clearly this captures the Monsters attention as he is cut down on the spot and uprooted from the ground as only the Treeman Ancient stands.

Turn 5 - Wood Elves
-------------------


Sensing the dire circumstances the Deepwood Rangers once again evade their enemies and appear behind them. The Waywatchers return to battle (wrong coloured arrow - sorry!). The Treeman Ancient sensing the end materialises the Throne of Vines and then pours his remaining essence into re-growth and 2 elves return to the Deepwood Rangers. Finally Earthblood is cast onto the Ancient however it fails to make it's mark.

The Ogre characters attack without care of their own safety and between the Bruisers attacks and magical trinkets it's enough to collapse the giant monster kicking up a plume of dust as it falls to the ground signalling the defeat of the elves. The remaining Wood Elves vanish into the vegetation without a second glance.

Result - Ogre Kingdoms Victory

"The powerful smell of Oak filled the air and the flames begun to lick at the branches and twigs piled together. All of the Ogres had gathered around with more make shift skewered elves ready for roasting. Not satisfied with the cooking process however the Beastmaster turned his attention to the tower the army had fought for. With it's stone exterior and multiple levels it would make the perfect tool to smoke this tender elven meat...."

Conclusion:

Another battle with the Wood Elves and whilst certainly a few more tools came out to play it was interesting and certainly a little easier not to have to deal with way more skirmishing units. The loss of a great eagle as well I'm sure my opponent felt as with this army it really needs it's diverters to ensure the Treemen are going into favourable match-ups. I was pretty annoyed at myself for not spotting the charging/formation error made early in the battle but it didn't even cross my mind. Basically once the game kicked on it was obvious that the Deepwood Rangers simply didn't have the damage output required to prevent the Ogres from curve stomping the Treemen. Certainly they could dance around my army all day and stay unengaged however that simply wouldn't be enough to win the day.

Thanks for reading as per usual.

[NexS]

Good report mate! Those treemen didn't stand much of a chance! Lovely munchin' Ogres!

[Jimmy]

134. Ogre Kingdoms vs. Daemons of Khorne
===================================

I was lucky enough to get a second game in over the weekend against Tim and his Daemons of Khorne. Although Tim isn't a regular player of Warhammer it was a very entertaining game even though his dice did some ultimate betrayals for him. It provided some great laughing stock on a Saturday night.

"The Beastmasters taste buds were fine tuned for exquisite culinary delights across all of the known world however anything Daemonic left him with a dull ear ringing sensation for days and a grumbling gut for weeks, it just didn't agree with him or his army. However if an Ogre has to pick between the lesser of two meals it will simply pick the one it has never tried. Should the battle be won then dinner would consist of an entree serving of Khorne on a cob, mushroom & sage stuffed Bloodcrushers with mains being pepper crusted Flesh Hound steaks and finally a hearty Bloodthirster Bolognaise."

Overview
--------
Scenario: Meeting Engagement
Date played: Saturday, 31 May 2014

Ogre Kingdoms
-------------
(SM) Slaughtermaster
- Sword of Striking, Armour of Destiny, Earthing Rod, Lore of Beasts (Wildform, Savage Beast, Pelt, Curse), Level 4, Ironfist
(MB) Maw Butcher
- Extra Hand Weapon, Lore of the Great Maw (Spinemarrow), Forbidden Rod
(BB) Beast Butcher
- Level 2, Sword of Swift Slaying, Dispel Scroll, Lore of Beasts (Wildform, Amber Spear)
(B) Bruiser
- BSB, Charmed Shield, Sword of Anti Heroes, Other Trickster's Shard, Heavy Armour
(I) 7 Ironguts
- Full Command, Standard of Discipline
(O) 7 Ogres
- Full Command, Ironfists, Look-out Gnoblar
(M) 7 Maneaters
- Full Command, Banner of Eternal Flame, Stubborn, Poison, Brace of Pistols x 6
(MC) 4 Mournfang Cavalry
- Standard, Musician, Ironfists, Heavy Armour, Dragonhide Banner
(S1) Sabretusk
(S2) Sabretusk
(S3) Sabretusk

Daemons of Khorne
-----------------
(B1) Bloodthirster
- 2+ Armour save, Blade of Blood
(HoK1) Herald of Khorne
- BSB, Multiple Wounds (2), Juggernaut
(HoK2) Herald of Khorne
- 2+ ward against first wound
(B2) 30 Bloodletters
- Full Command
(B3) 15 Bloodletters
- Full Command
(FH1) 5 Flesh Hounds
(FH2) 5 Flesh Hounds
(B4) 4 Bloodcrushers
- Full Command
(S1) Skullcannon
(S2) Skullcannon

Deployment
----------


The following units were held in reserve:

Mournfang Cavalry
Bruiser
Flesh Hounds
Herald - BSB
Herald
Bloodcrushers

I was happy to have the Mournfang off the table for the time being as it meant my opponent didn't have the auto target for his Skullcannons on them. Secondly it would allow me to really take note of what his army is going to do before committing them to either flank. Match ups for me were the usual, I needed to try and get some wounds onto the Bloodthirster via poisonous shooting and make sure when I got into combat with it I had characters and augment magic hanging around. Daemons won the roll off and went first.

Turn 1 - Daemons of Khorne
--------------------------


The Bloodthirster spun his axe in wide arcs whilst spitting out outlandish orders in a tongue not familiar to anything else other than of daemonic origin. The reserves of the army finally arrived onto the battlefield ready to take there place and continue to win skulls for their lord. The Skullcannons both took careful aim at the Ironguts however the Maw must have been smiling upon his children as the first shot failed to bounce whilst the second merely bounced off the gut plate of the champion (1 to wound!).

Turn 1 - Ogre Kingdoms
----------------------


The Maneaters sensing an opportunity wasted no time and crashed into the Bloodletters hard and fast intent on taking the fight to the red enemy and gifting khorne with skulls from his own children. The Ogre reserves marched onto the battlefield with the Mournfang ordered down a flank as the Bruiser moved into position to take up the armies standard in the Ironguts next to his lord. The Beastmaster sensing Khorne's magical draining abilities was surprised to be able to draw some raw power from the air and both Beast casters focussed onto the Maneaters enhancing their physical prowess confusing Khorne as to which spell to cease. The Maneaters now toughened like stone took no damage as the Bloodletters blades simply couldn't penetrate their skin. In retaliation the Maneaters clearly made their mark simply bludgeoning their way through the enemy unit like a pack of wolves through children. The Bloodletters begun to lose their essence of this reality and the Maneaters viscious momentum now augmented with an ancient primal rage easily carried them into the Flesh Hounds caught off guard. The Ogres first blow had pushed them deep into the enemy.

Turn 2 - Daemons of Khorne
--------------------------


The Bloodthirster roared his orders and the red tide immediately closed ranks around the Maneaters with Flesh hounds rushing into the flank and the larger regiment of Bloodletters hell blades held high hitting the other flank. The winds of magic play into the Daemons favour and Khorne assaults a Sabretusk however the beast is able to with stand the wound. The Skullcannons take aim once again however the exact same result is achieved as the Ironguts now laugh inviting more pathetic fire from the Khornate artillery. The combat proves to be a bloody affair as the Maneaters lose two of their illustrious members under the hacking and goring of the Khorne warriors however they respond with an impressive amount of kills tallying up in the Ogres favour leaving 3 Flesh Hounds standing from the original 10 and taking 5 Bloodletters as well. This frees up the unit somewhat allowing them to face the greater threat of the Bloodletters as the magical effects now begin to leave them...

Turn 2 - Ogre Kingdoms
----------------------


The Beastmaster orders the Ironguts into the Bloodletters flank however he's unable to communicate over the roaring laughter of the Ironguts in retaliation to the enemy shooting and the nearby lurking Greater Daemon and the unit stumbles forward (3"). The Mournfang boot their mounts into action and scream up the flank intent on making their presence felt in this world and the next. Magical winds blow across the desert floor picking up sand and infusing the casters with power (7 vs 6). The Beastmaster once again turns his gaze upon the Maneaters to gift them with Wildform however Khorne puts a stop to this immediately. Looking for the source of corruption the Beastmaster then turns towards the Bloodthirster and augments the Bruiser with Pann's Pelt growing a thick impenetrable hide onto the armies Battle Standard Bearer. The Maneaters now weaning off their magical augments take some more damage with 3 of their number remaining, they however succeed in making their presence known to Khorne cutting down the remaining Flesh Hounds with ease and dropping a few Bloodletters whilst waiving their standard high for all the Ogres to see.

Turn 3 - Daemons of Khorne
--------------------------


The Bloodthirster contemplates charging the Ironguts however the hulk looking Bruiser wielding a glowing weapon pauses his thoughts and he swoops into a better position in order to assault the Ogres once the Bloodcrushers are in position. Khorne looked to his minions on the battlefield granting them extra protective wards to fight off the Ogre filth. Imbued with their masters spirit this time the Skullcannons claimed skulls, the first cannonball squealing through the air and decapitating an Irongut whilst the next merely spraying the nearest on looker in flaming shrapnel, needless to say the laughter ceased within the Ironguts as they looked for the closest enemy to assault. The combat continued on as another single Maneater succumbed to his wounds however the remaining pair of Maneaters smashed aside any thought of defeat and held their nerves as reinforcements were on their way.

Turn 3 - Ogre Kingdoms
----------------------


The Ogres charged into the flank of the Bloodletters coming to the much needed aid of the Maneaters whilst the Ironguts no longer wishing to be target practice sprinted into the nearby Bloodcrushers hungry to cut down the servants of chaos. The magic saturation infused the battlefield lighting up the very skies and the Maw Butcher cracked his Forbidden rod against an unsuspecting Bloodletter unleashing the power into the Ogres (8 vs 4 which turned into a 12 vs 4) however the Butcher suddenly coughed up blood with internal wounds (3!). The Ogres are augmented with Wildform whilst the Bruiser is infused with the Savage Beast. The Beastmaster then attempts to curse the Bloodcrushers however their eternal master blows the spell away along with the Beastmasters concentration as he fail's to cast Wildform again.

The Bruiser makes way to the front of the Ironguts raising his weapon and shield however in a blur of furious daemonic swordsmanship the Herald obliterates the Bruiser's shield (rolled a '1' for charmed shield!) who collaspes gasping for air as blood leaks from multiple wounds staining the earth (Tim rolled up 3 wounds, and his multiple wound rolls were 3 x 6's!! - I was cursing myself hard for positioning him where I did and simply not thinking that through!!). As the army standard drops to the ground the Ironguts dig their heels deep into the ground swearing not to leave their army standard. The Irongut champion takes the brunt of the Bloodcrushers assault meeting the same fate as the Bruiser and in retaliation the sapping morale of the Ironguts shows as they're unable to cut down a single Bloodcrusher (2 wounds only - that Other Trickster's Shard would have really helped here!!).

Nearby however the Ogres slam into the Bloodletters flank sapping their very power that fuels them into this reality. Between their immense bulk and furious strength the Bloodletters vanish in a flash of semi-fluorescent light blinding all mortals on the battlefield before facing new targets (Tim rolled a 12 for their break test!).

Turn 4 - Daemons of Khorne
--------------------------


The Bloodthirster uncoiled his whip and swooped low into the Ironguts with his only aim to mash the Ogres into a pulp. One Skullcannon no longer attracted to shooting decides to charge into the Maneaters who wisely withdraw from their position and the Herald makes chase but to no avail. A Firestorm of Tzeentch erupts over the battlefield bathing everyone in a murky light however only a single Sabretusk catches fire and disintegrates into dust. The stationary Skullcannon unleashes a payload of shrapnel into the nearby Ogres shredding them in red hot devastation dropping a single Ogre and badly wounding another (5 wounds).

Dealing with the new threat the Beast Butcher puts a wound onto the Bloodthirster who has just joined the fight before 3 Ironguts are cut down. The Ironguts manage to drop a single Crusher (2 wounds) but the cost is high.

Turn 4 - Ogre Kingdoms
----------------------


The Ogres rush into support their master afraid of empty stomachs lacking gourmet grub. The Sabretusk escorts the Mournfang into the Skullcannon whilst the nearby Sabretusk charges into the second war machine of Khorne. The Maneaters consolidate their position re-loading their pistols before witnessing more magic at play saturating the Ogres once again (8 vs 5). The Beastmaster this time mutters words of ancient power cursing the Bloodcrushers before his every orifice pours an infinite light for a split second as a powerful augmentation of Savage Beasts effects the remaining spell casters of the Ogres. The magical feedback is contained however with the Beastmaster merely triggering a flesh wound from the spells price (Rolled a Dimensional Cascade and the Earthing Rod kicked in, taking it to a S6 hit on all spell casters).

The Mournfang perform poorly due to the build up of fatigue from all the running doing minimal damage (2 wounds!) to the Skullcannon right after the Sabretusk is cut to pieces savagely and the artillery piece turns in place to bring more attacks onto the Ogre cavalry. The remaining Sabretusk takes a wound for it's trouble however it's able to tear a rather large piece of the cannon off and the combat continues as the Skullcannon slowly starts to de-materialise from the mortal plain...

Khorne's cavalry knows no rest as they continue to carve a path through the Ironguts however the curse slows their blows and the Ironguts are able to step aside for the most part suffering minimal casualties. The Beast Butcher now with raw primal power flowing through his veins in unison with the Beastmaster test the Bloodthirster's defenses piercing the skin of the Daemonic beast (2 wounds). The Ogres now reinforcing their general attack the Herald of Khorne with no regard for their own life continuing to hack and slash well after the pool of daemonic fluid and metal from the Juggernaut stops twitching. The remaining Ironguts finally gain some composure with the reinforcements and cut down the remaining Bloodcrushers, combined with the loss of the Daemonic standard it's enough to break the combat and whilst swinging weapons and roaring daemonic obscenities all the way back to the realm of chaos the Bloodthirster parts the world and the Ogre forces reform to face the remaining enemy forces.

Turn 5 - Daemons of Khorne
--------------------------


With their general deceased the Khornate forces autonomously fight on. The Skullcannon tramples the remaining Sabretusk however it's brethren is less capable against the Mournfang and is torn apart.

Turn 5 - Ogre Kingdoms
----------------------


Re-fueled by their recent kill the Mournfang charge into the remaining Skullcannon. Magic is of little event with Khorne sucking away any chance of more magical assaults (4 vs 2) as an Amber Spear fails to travel much further than a few Ogre lengths from the Beast Butchers grasp. The Maneaters however unload into the Herald however the single target proves far too elusive for the Maneaters to contact.

The Skullcannon falls apart on impact from the Mournfang Cavalry shattered from the brutal charge.

Turn 6 - Daemons of Khorne
--------------------------


Resigned to it's fate the Herald flicks his sword into a well paced spin and charges into the Ogres to sell his essence dearly. It's a brutal affair as the Ogres batter his attacks aside and cast him back to the Realm of Chaos.

Result - Ogre Kingdoms Victory.

"The Ogres dragged the remaining Khornate cadavers towards the massive fire pit that had been recently dug. Tonight a massive feast would be dedicated to the Ogre deity however it was sure to capture the attention of Khorne. The Lord of Battle would be most displeased that his subjects skulls was forming the very broth that would fuel the Ogres to fight his forces once more. Then again, Khorne cares not where the blood comes from, just so long as it continued to flow."

Conclusion:

A thoroughly enjoyable game for both parties even though the Ogres ended up dominating. Aside from my stupidity with the Bruiser (please forgive me!! ) I was a fan of everything else that happened. I had envisioned the MFC hitting the Skullcannon and absolutely creaming through it before hitting the second one and allowing another immediate combat however these grand ideas have a way of avoiding us and in this case that's exactly what happened.

From my opponents point of view however, I think with an army like his vs an army like mine he can't afford to advance piece meal, had he kept his battle line in a single unit, kept the somewhat 'inaccurate' artillery and snuck the Bloodthirster into a rear/flank there is no reason he could not have made some more trouble for my army and a totally different outcome.

Turn 2 I was lucky to get through Pann's onto a character that could hold up the Bloodthirster if he did in fact charge and I'm confident this was enough to be a deterrent to keep him away, besides in a protracted combat against the Ironguts he'd come out second best. Thinking now had the Bloodthirster simply from Turn 1 zoomed down the other side of the tower things could have been interesting.

I'm unsure why the Skullcannons didn't re-direct/dual charge the Ogres and I was actually hoping the Bloodthirster would charge the Maneaters and I was hoping to sneak through at least a shot into him but with his armour save it was a big ask.

Anyway I'm sure there is lots more however that's final report for the week and following fortnight done.

Please comment as per usual.

[Swordmaster of Hoeth]

Hi Jimmy,

Thanks a lot for more reports! I must admit it is great to see you having so much fun with Ogres when just a few months ago you had doubts if you want to even keep them!

Game 133 against WE

Kris brought a very interesting army. Not jumping on the bandwagon as many other WE generals. I am very curious how big trees are working for him and how treemen ancient is going to perform too.

Just a small note on Battle Chronicler and skirmishers. When you define a unit you can change the settings and make the models 0.5 inch apart as they should be. At the moment it seems as if you are using default settings and that sets the models too far away than they normally are.

I really like how you used sabertusks to see where the enemy is going to be and you predicted correctly that the army of WE is going to be on your left flank. Thus you neutralized their advantage of early turns and also prevented Waywatchers from sneaking to your rear. If they shot the cats better for you because you don’t care.

Having said that it was also good move to use the advantage of the first turn and simply move the cats into cover so they can be used later. No need to lose them for nothing.

Quite unlucky for Kris to cascade his mage and panic scouts as otherwise they would have caused some trouble on that flank. Magic is fickle though!

Great picture of the sabertusk waiting in cover patiently! Btw, I know it was hard to predict such outcome but it would have been great if second sabre tusk was facing the opposite direction as it would have given it a chance to catch entire unit of elven scouts!

I haven’t noticed when you added the banner to the mournfangs but it definitely can be used nicely. I think its potential to hit skirmishers is great as you don’t need to roll to hit. I presume you also wanted revenge for that round of shooting.

I am a little surprised Kris didn’t flee from IG. Any reason for that? I think he was not that far away to risk that you are going to fail your charge.

Not sure what Kris wanted to achieve with solitary charge of the treeman. I think they would work way better if attacked all together. IG have great strength to fight against such monsters and treemen was attacked by everybody. Looked like a suicide to me I am afraid.
Seems like poison + flaming attacks is the way to go against treemen!

With 2 glade guard units dispatched quickly, loss of a treeman and sweeping advance backed with maneaters fire, WE were at the back foot and could not turn the tide. I think the mistake Kris made was to spread his forces and attack with treeman too early. Had he kept the formation together and kept treemen safe to emerge and attack in unison I am sure they would have given you more problems.

But your plan for deployment was sound, you kept units together to support each other and managed to achieve another great victory! Well done!

[Swordmaster of Hoeth]

Game 134 against DoC

Somehow I always admire players who play with armies dedicated to a single deity. It does not mean they have weaker armies at all! But somehow they look great!

Interesting situation with units not coming to the table at the same time as it happens with Meeting Engagement scenario. I am glad you also looked at the fact that Mournfangs are not deployed with the rest of the army as an opportunity! I have found out that having fast units in reserves can actually be an advantage. So well done on looking on the bright side and trying to use what you are given to the benefit!

It was great to see Maneaters moving to engage the enemy early. Not only they stopped the advance of the daemons but also blocked skullcannons. However, did you consider moving IG forward to be able to support them as it was clear blood letters are going to flank charge them? I understand you wanted to wait for Bruiser to join the unit but Ogres nearby were as good bunker as IG. I am definitely not saying it was a mistake but I am simply wondering about your decision and what was priority for you in this particular case.

I am really impressed by the prowess of Maneaters, however, as they too the fight to the enemy, and proceeded to meticulously kill all the units thrown at them.

I was wondering why you decided to move Mournfangs on the centre left. They had free march there and were safe from being attacked but at the same time you spent 2 turns before they became a threat to the enemy. Did you consider moving them to the right? What do you think about that route?

It was great to carry the fight to the enemy when you charged crushers with ironguts. A pity you could not unleash the attacks with bruiser and indeed, that seems to be a mistake to move him into contact. I am sure you will remember that for the future!

There were a few options to reform Maneaters and Ogres. I wonder if it was possible to reform Ogres in a way that they saw Crushers but at the same time presented front to the cannons. Do you think it would have been beneficial? Also, why did you decide to present rear of Maneaters to cannons?

Wow, that is one brutal combat! Did you challenge the Bloodthirster with one of your characters? In any case I am glad you had that earthing rod handy! Really tough combat there but it seems IG with associated characters (and thanks to their great magic support!) are great at grinding match and even Bloodthirster himself is not enough to switch the balance! Well done! Truly epic fight!

After that daemons had no means to fight back and you managed to table your opponent! Congratulations!

I agree that daemons really need to work together and flying BT is a great asset to make these combined charges happen. I am glad to see that you consider different ways of using your units, maneaters in particular. Against WE they were more shooters now they fight! And fight well too!

I truly enjoyed that battle report as it showed your Ogres in their best. Moving, outflanking, harnessing magic to their advantage. Simply amazing display and what is more, with the list that is not standard gutstar.

Thanks a lot for fantastic report!

[Jimmy]

Hey SM

Many thanks for taking the time to read the reports and make your usual analysis. It’s very helpful and always gives me many other angles to think about in terms of gaming.

Game 133:

It was a shame that I didn’t positioned the Sabretusk behind the building to face the Western flank, that would have been an amazingly bout of good luck had I done that and been able to neutralise his unit.

On the MFC I really didn’t want them to cop a single wound and lose a model because of stand and shoot but it turns out it didn’t really matter. Besides using the template weapon on a ranked unit can now be checked off the ‘to do’ list.

I don’t know about Kris’ reaction to hold, hopefully he’ll chime in?

I was very surprised he solo charged in with the treeman, I honestly thought the tree council would have kept moving back.

Game 134:

I also am a sucker for heavily themed lists and this one even more so because I painted it all! :p Khorne having cannons however still baffles me.

Isn’t it funny you mention moving the Ironguts up, the only reason I didn’t is because I’ve got in conditioned in my mind that only the BSB can join them. I need to delete that from the memory banks and start again. Had the Ironguts marched up things could have been of a different interest for all parties. Ironically I wasn’t even sure he was going to charge with the Bloodletters as he was really trying to get the Herald in there to give them more attacks but I pressed him for time.

The Maneaters performed very well, but T6 troops will do that!

On the Mournfang I felt had I moved them onto the right flank then between the bloodcrushers and bloodthirster something would simply have got them. Perhaps if I had gone for the above route moving the Bruiser into the Ogres and marched the Ironguts it would have changed a lot of things.

The diagram isn’t as accurate as I would like and the Ogres were only just in LOS of the enemy Herald. I was always planning to flee with the Maneaters from the Cannons but I was hoping he’d charge his Bloodthirster into them away from the Ironguts, I was trying to get the heat off these guys in order to deal with the Bloodcrushers but he didn’t take the bait.

I didn’t challenge in the combat, the only one capable to withstanding a storm from him was the Slaughtermaster and I wasn’t happy throwing him into the grinder like that.

Thank you for the kind words.

No more games for probably a fortnight unfortunately!!

[Nicene]

133: you mention charging a unit of skirmishers. but don't they group up into a "normal" formation as soon as you declare a charge? this means they'll probably be out of range for your charge after all, unless I misunderstand that situation.


134: do you mean that you got double wildform off on the maneaters? what a devastating unit!

it seems that you reformed your maneaters even when they were beset on multiple sides. is that legal?

[Jimmy]

Coming soon....

[Swordmaster of Hoeth]

Bring It On!

[RE.Lee]

Still waiting...

[Jimmy]

135. Ogre Kingdoms vs. Warriors of Chaos
===================================

"Pungent odours and clouds of flies revealed the enemy army long before the eye ball could reveal any sign of it. The Ogres had more than enough experience to tackle the Warriors of the North once again and even though most of the meat was spoiled by disease and filth, this far from the Mountains of Maw they couldn't be fussy. The Ogres morale jumped to new heights however as they spotted a familiar meat source of Chimera, some of the most juicy and tender steaks they'd come across and would be willing to die for."

Overview
--------
Scenario: Battle for the Pass
Date played: Saturday, 5 July 2014

Ogre Kingdoms
-------------
(SM) Slaughtermaster
- Sword of Striking, Armour of Destiny, Earthing Rod, Lore of Beasts (Wildform, Amber Spear, Savage Beast, Transformation), Level 4, Ironfist
(MB) Maw Butcher
- Extra Hand Weapon, Lore of the Great Maw (Trollguts), Forbidden Rod
(BB) Beast Butcher
- Sword of Swift Slaying, Dispel Scroll, Lore of Beasts (Wildform, Pelt)
(B) Bruiser
- BSB, Charmed Shield, Sword of Anti Heroes, Other Trickster's Shard, Heavy Armour
(I) 8 Ironguts
- Full Command, Standard of Discipline
(O) 7 Ogres
- Full Command, Ironfists, Look-out Gnoblar
(MC) 4 Mournfang Cavalry
- Standard, Musician, Ironfists, Heavy Armour, Dragonhide Banner
(S1) Sabretusk
(S2) Sabretusk
(S3) Sabretusk
(L) 10 Leadbelchers
- Musician

Warriors of Chaos
-----------------
(DP) Daemon Prince
- Scaly Skin, Dawn Stone, Soul Feeder, Lore of Nurgle (Fleshy Abundance, Curse of the Leper, Plague Wind, Miasma)
(BSB) Exalted Hero - BSB
- Mark of Khorne
(WoN) 18 Warriors of Nurgle
- Full Command, +1 Ld, Halberds, Shields
(CoN1) Chariot of Nurgle
(CoN2) Chariot of Nurgle
(CH1) 5 Chaos Hounds
(CH2) 5 Chaos Hounds
(C) Chimera
- Regen, Flaming Breath
(S) 3 Skullcrushers
- Ensorcelled Weapons, Musician
(COoK) 6 Chaos Ogres of Khorne
- Great Weapons, Full Command, Heavy Armour

Deployment
----------


Battle for the Pass was rolled up and this would give me a fairly good chance to put some hurt onto the enemy using the Leadbelchers as with a more narrow approach point he wouldn't be able to prevent something from getting pounded. Sabretusks went down as per usual countered by his Chaos Hounds and then the Warriors of Nurgle went down and Ogres really struggle to deal with the Mark of Nurgle and Warriors can put out so much damage that I decided they were the key target for the Leadbelchers and deployed accordingly. Ogres went down to support the Leadbelchers in case they managed to get through or got close enough.

I won the roll off for first turn.



Turn 1 - Ogre Kingdoms
----------------------


With all of his troops lined up against the army the Beastmaster signalled to his left flank. The new reinforcements of Leadbelchers were keen to prove their worth to the Beastmaster and unleashed their first volley into the Chaos Hounds shielding the Warriors of Nurgle. Within seconds after the smoke cleared a mixed match of hound parts, blood, and matted hair littered the area in front of the Warriors, however they were unimpressed with the carnage and simply began to march towards the Ogres. (I didn't bother casting any spells this turn, Amber Spear was out of range and I didn't want to risk a miscast for the sake of getting some spells off.)

Turn 1 - Warriors of Chaos
--------------------------


Without order the Chaos Warriors set into motion. The Skullcrushers begin to trample down the flank with the Chimera closely in tow as the Chariots wheel into better positions hugging the nearby desert ruins of an ancient race. The Daemon Prince of Nurgle directs his army from behind the safety of the Chaos Ogres. Envisioning that the Chaos Ogres would win the day the Daemon Prince cast (4 vs 2) Fleshy Abundance onto the hulks making them impervious to nearly all damage. Miasma of Pestilence then took effect onto the Chaos Hounds.



Turn 2 - Ogre Kingdoms
----------------------


All the Ogres hardly shifted in awe of the Leadbelchers spectacularly loud cannons and displays of Ogre firepower. The Beastmaster unsure how close the Warriors would come to his lines bolstered the Ogres with a casting (11 vs 6) of Wildform. The Beast Butcher followed his masters plan onto the Leadbelchers however he was unable to contain the surge in magical power causing a rip in time however the damage was minimal with a smoking corpse of an Irongut collapsing into the ground considered acceptable (BSB and SM took a wound as well). The Leadbelchers re-load and aim at advancing Nurgle Warriors again blasting their shot in the general direction. Once again smoke billowed forth from the weapons after the massive discharge and the Ogre army waiting in anticipation to inspect the damage. 6 Warriors of Nurgle in total lay on the battlefield covered in shrapnel wounds whilst the remaining 12 advanced with shields held high screaming their vengeance in some unknown language.



Turn 2 - Warriors of Chaos
--------------------------


The Skullcrushers spotted the Sabretusk and kicked their Juggernauts into action however the Sabretusk immediately fled it's position intent on saving it's hide for another battle to come. The Daemon Prince called to his gods however magic blew lightly across the battlefield (4 vs 3) and Fleshy Abundance (dispel scroll) was once again attempted on the Chaos Ogres and Miasma onto the Chaos Hounds however the counter spells put in place by the Beastmaster were too effective.

(The thoughts behind this turn were to scroll Fleshy Abundance in case next turn the Chaos Hounds just fled then I could re-direct the MFC into the Chaos Ogres).



Turn 3 - Ogre Kingdoms
----------------------


Sensing no other options the Mournfang charged into the Chaos Hounds and to the surprise of the Ogres they hold awaiting their doom. The Beastmaster and Butcher (7 vs 5) once again attempt the dual Wildform taking the Mournfang to even more menacing stature however the Daemon Prince manages to dispel one of the spells. The Leadbelchers this time close the distance with the remaining Warriors and with a loud concussive thud that is felt in every living thing on the battlefield unleash a volley that simply shreds the Nurgle followers to ribbons. Satisfied with the pool of blood and green armour the Leadbelchers scan for more targets.

Impact hits tear the Chaos Hounds up before they have a chance to bite back at the Ogre cavalry and they consolidate their position facing towards the Chariots.



Turn 3 - Warriors of Chaos
--------------------------


Seeking revenge for their fallen comrades the Chariots both pick up pace and crash into the Mournfang Cavalry. The Daemon Prince attempts a powered up fleshy abundance to make the chariots rock hard however at the very last moment the Beastmaster collapses the spell in on itself (high cast and rolled 2 x 6's to dispel!). Plague Wind is then summoned and the Daemon Prince hurls this ball of filth towards the Leadbelchers however the desert winds have other ideas rolling it behind his position taking it through the Mournfang and his own Chariots for minimal damage (1 wound MFC). The Chariots put on a vicious assault taking out a single Mournfang and take little damage in return holding the position (3 wounds on the MFC for 2 wounds back).



Turn 4 - Ogre Kingdoms
----------------------


Fleeing from the battlefield the Sabretusk now intent no enemies can reach it turns back around to face off against the foe. Winds pick up again and the Plague Wind blows back onto the Daemon Prince harming the enemy general and a single Mournfang (1 wound each). The Beastmaster harnesses whatever power he can muster (7 vs 4) and alongside the Beast Butcher attempt another dual serving of Wildform to bolster the Mournfang however only one casting sneaks through the defense of the Nurgle Daemon Prince. The Leadbelchers turn and face their Chaotic kin with no mercy and unleash more shrapnel into them dropping two of the traitors (8 wounds in total).

The combat continues as the Mournfang take more damage however manage to dispatch a single Chariot (2 wounds onto the MFC) however the combat continues...



Turn 4 - Warriors of Chaos
--------------------------


Furious as the blockade the Skullcrushers chase down the lone Sabretusk intent on reaching the Ogre lines and claiming skulls for their lord. The Chaos Ogres of the same god follow the example and barrel into the Sabretusk. The nearby Plague Wind finally collapses in on itself and the Daemon Prince (5 vs 4) attempts another powered up Fleshy Abundance granting the nearby Chaos units with further resilience however the Ogres put a stop to it clashing the spell and earthing it's power (rolled another 2 x 6's on the dispel roll!). Combats are brutal and the Sabretusks are each trampled underfoot and the Ogres slam into the flank of the Mournfang destroying them however not before they reduce the last chariot to splinters.

Turn 5 - Ogre Kingdoms
----------------------


The Ogres spot the opportunity to bludgeon their traitorous kin into the sands and charge with fury. The Leadbelchers turn to face off against the Chimera realising this would be their last volley before taking up arms with the enemy. The Beastmaster gets to work (10 vs 6) augmenting his Ogres with Wildform before enhancing the Maw Butcher with the power of the Savage Beast. The spell however spells catastrophe and the Beastmaster is left mentally scarred and his former 2 spells become lost to him (power drain).

The Khorne Champion screams a challenge and the Ogre Crusher steps forth as they each batter the other around in a entertaining combat display however none can gain the upper hand (1 wound a piece). The remaining Ogres tear apart their cousins and the Maw Butcher now influenced by the Beastmaster spells leading the Ogres in his display of cruelty as the unit is cut down on the spot and the Ogres face towards the Skullcrushers as their savagery fuels them to tear more opponents apart.



Turn 5 - Warriors of Chaos
--------------------------


In unison the Daemon Prince and Chimera assault the Leadbelchers. With ancient words the Daemon Prince (8 vs 6) curses the Leadbelchers with leprosy (-2T), Fleshy Abundance then grants the Chimera greater resilience and then Miasma takes hold of the Chimera and the Beastmaster is unable to cease this spell as the power unleashed detonates the area around the Daemon Prince killing a Leadbelcher instantly.

With the magic wearing down the Leadbelchers they lose 3 of their number however hold knowing the Ironguts would be on their way ready to exact revenge.


Turn 6 - Ogre Kingdoms
----------------------


The desert dust once again kicked up as the Ogres rushed into the flank of the Skullcrushers and the Ironguts hit the Chimera in the flank. Wasting no time (11 vs 7) the Beastmaster and Butcher used their double Wildform into the Ogres however only a single casting managed to get through. Trollguts was them attempted from the Maw Butcher however his concentration waivered and the spell was all but lost. It was all for show however as the Ogres took minimal damage from the single Skullcrusher and in turn he was clubbed to death and the remaining Khorne worshippers turned tail and ran with the Ogres in pursuit.

The Ironguts however didn't have luck on their side. Damage was very minimal with only a single wound penetrating the Chimera's hide and regenerating capabilities the beast clawed back. The Leadbelchers however unable to hold their nerve broke from the combat and ran away but the Daemon Princes wings unfurled granting him blinding speed easily cutting down the Ogres in pursuit.



Turn 6 - Warriors of Chaos
--------------------------


Still in mid flight the Daemon Prince hurls himself at the Ogres intent on continuing his devastation through the Ogre army. The Skullcrushers flee the battlefield their morale completely spent. Winds blow moderately (7 vs 5) and the Daemon Prince attempts to Curse the Ogres however the Beastmaster puts a stop to the spell with a thought. This however allows Miasma to make a mockery of the Ironguts skill in combat with the beast. The Ogres deflect the worst of the damage from the Daemon Prince and hold their position and finally the sheer volume of attacks puts down the Chimera and the Ogres regroup. (Apologies Chimera still listed as being alive on map!)

Result - Ogre Kingdoms Victory

"The drums and belching lasted long into the night around the massive fire pit the Ogres dug into the desert sands feasting on various elements that the Chaos gods had unwillingly parted with. Although the stench took some getting used to the Nurgle meat was quite palatable in an over cooked and toughened leather type of way, it would make great jerky to the long road that lay ahead for the Beastmaster...."

Conclusion:

To follow shortly.

Thanks for reading.

[NexS]

Very good result there Jimmy. Focussing on those Warriors was probably the key. And, once again, those sabretusks were worth their weight in gold.
It was a bit disappointing to see the Mournfangs get squished, but you came out on top after all was said and done.

It's also worth noting that the painted models look really great all together!

[Swordmaster of Hoeth]

Hi Jimmy,

Thanks a lot for another great report! Fantastic performance of Leadbelchers in their first game after that gorgeous painting. I guess it further supports the well known fact that painted models simply fight better!

I will try to get back with more comments later but just wanted to say "thanks for sharing!"

Cheers!

[Swordmaster of Hoeth]

Hi Jimmy,

More comments as I read the report (again! )

Army Lists

Hm, not sure as I have checked the previous list briefly but am I correct that 7 Maneaters = 10 Leadbelchers?

Your brothers army has some usual suspects but having said that I wonder if he misses ward save on his expensive DP or at least little trinket to allow for 2++ against flaming attacks? Otherwise, if he ends up facing metal mage he might lose him quickly.

Deployment

Indeed, the narrow pass means that outflanking is almost impossible and your army is very happy with that arrangement. I wonder why did you put IG in the second row, however. They didn't need any protection from the shooting. Was it just due to narrower passage due to intervening terrain?

The Game

T1,2 - You play defensively, which is good and according to your strengths. I am also sure you wanted these Leadbelchers to show what they can do! Blasting 6 WoC in a single turn was definitely good and looked like your brother is already trying to avoid them.

Did Skullcrushers fail their frenzy check?

T3 - Even more impressive shooting phase this time! Trademark positioning of sabertusk as well. All seems to be going according to the plan!

However, the reform was hard to execute as no matter how you turned one of the flanks could have been exposed. In fact, I think you overextended your MF! Your brother had a chance to attack them with 4 units at the same time but he did what I noticed in his other games. He used his DP as a sorcerer rather than a warrior.

Actually, he could declare a charge with 5 units. Let me explain.

If the picture rather than a diagram is correct then his BSB was not blocked by the sabertusk. That allowed him to charge out of his unit. The options were:

1. Charge DP and BSB against MF from the flank and both chariots and Chimera against the front. If you held (and I think you had to due to other option being worse scenario) then MF would have lost badly.

2. If MF fled then BSB and DP can safely redirect against exposed flank of Leadbelchers. In fact, a chariot could get there too and all three had enough space to fit there. IG are in no position to counter if any of them fails the charge while DP and BSB are very close anyway. Chimera and Chariot could smash into the IG then. it would have been a sacrifice but impact hits and many attacks by Chimera before Ogres would make that unit significantly weaker. Skullcrushers in reserve would make for a much bigger threat too.

3. Declare the charge with BSB and DP against the flank of the Leadbelchers and 2 chariots and Chimera against MF. That is spreading the effort but even if both units held the damage is done and he had 2 more regiments in reserves. His characters are well equipped to deal with regular ogres while the damage to MF would have been more serious. Simply because by losing one more model (and I think Chimera has a chance to do so) you would have lost steadfast.

T4 - Another turn where you use your strengths perfectly while your brother is too shy to enter combat. He did good job to kill MF but at the same time DP and Chimera could attack Leadbelchers. Picture suggests that it was quite possible to squeeze DP in between Leadbelchers and Ogres in the way that DP would have been out of sight of the Ogres. Even then, Chimera would have blocked any attempts to attack DP himself. And even being steadfast Leadbelchers are too far away from the general and bsb.

T5 - Very good maneuvering and magic phase as well as attacks on isolated foes. Your brother finally decided to attack but it was in the less than favorable circumstances. It was also an obvious mistake to expose the flank of the crushers who otherwise could present their front and fight off charging Ogres.

T6 - That combat shows how some bad luck on to hit rolls combined with the good rolls for regeneration and bad luck on break test can make the difference. In fact, I am surprised your brother didn't use breath attack to even further increase his chances to win combat as he could have suspected to lose Chimera on the IG charge.

A few more remarks on the game and the way both of you used your armies. I usually don't discuss army lists but since I have noticed the way your brother uses his general I think his style of play would benefit more from the Tzeentch level 4 on a disc. He does not like to engage his expensive general in combat and that guy is way better flying around and casting deadly magic. What is more, he has magic missiles that allow dealing with sabertusks and other annoying diverters so that his skull crushers are going to have a better chance to see the combat when they are the most needed.

You used your strengths very well but I was really worried about that situation where MF were facing one way, LB the other and both exposed the flanks to deadly charges. That was a deadly mistake and you are lucky your brother didn't spot the chance. I am also wondering why didn't you use your characters as individual units. He didn't have shooting and with keeping them near the units you always could cover more angles and add to the flexibility of the battle line. Simply by offering counter charge and/or not risking them all with the unit if you happen to overextend yourself.

Please, do not consider all the above as a criticism but simply the feedback where I tried to look at possibilities for both players. It is very hard not to make a mistake once in a while and often it is the general who makes fewer of them that is victorious. In this case, as I have mentioned, you have used LB perfectly and they were your MVP. Speaking of which, did you consider having two units of 5? I believe it may provide better flexibility as you can either focus them on a single target or divide their fire power where needed.

Thanks again for the great report and congratulations on the well deserved victory!

Cheers!